2/27/2015 1:50 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

The car and the truck that hauls it were both stolen out of the Drury Inn parking lot outside Atlanta -- and in the video you can see a Jeep SUV pull into the lot. One person dressed in black gets out of the Jeep, walks across the lot toward the transport trailer ... and the Jeep pulls away.

Next thing you see is the white transport trailer ... hauled by a black pickup truck ... tearing across the lot. Law enforcement sources tell us the GTA went down around 5 AM Friday -- and took less than a minute. So far cops have no leads on the suspects, but they're hoping this video will shed some light.

Kvapil's team was forced to pull out of this weekend's Sprint Cup race in Atlanta. It's a small independent team, and they don't have a backup car.

Team owner John Cohen tells TMZ Sports ... "Last night I was thinking, I should tell them to block the truck off [with another vehicle]. But I didn't say anything, and it got stolen." He says he doesn't think the crooks even knew what they were stealing since there are no identifying marks on the trailer.

He adds ... "I'm hoping they return it once they see what's inside. What can they do with a racecar?"

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2/20/2015 2:25 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

2:55 PM PT -- NASCAR just suspended Busch indefinitely. NASCAR star Kurt Busch sounded like he rehearsed all his answers, and may even have lied under oath when he testified in his domestic violence case ... according to the judge.

As we reported ... Busch's ex-gf Patricia Driscoll got a restraining order last week, and in new docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, the judge explains why he ruled against Busch.

According to the docs ... Busch came off like he had practiced reciting his version of what happened during the alleged incident last September ... in a very specific order. Anytime he was asked to break from that "memorized" order of events ... he got flustered.

The judge said "an honest witness" should be remember the truth in any sequence.

Further, the judge feels Busch "has so much to lose" -- his NASCAR career and endorsements -- he has "powerful incentive" to lie on the stand.

Busch's attorney is appealing the restraining order -- but clearly the judge has trust issues when it comes to his side of the story.

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2/16/2015 11:42 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

Kurt Busch says he plans to appeal the restraining order a Delaware court entered against him which requires the NASCAR driver to stay away from ex-GF Patricia Driscoll... claiming she straight up lied to the court.

A Kent County Family Court Commissioner made the ruling Monday ... requiring Busch to stay at least 100 yards away from Driscoll's home and workplace after he allegedly roughed her up during an alleged altercation in a trailer at Dover International Speedway back in September.

The commish also ordered Busch to be evaluated for mental health problems.

In a statement, Busch's attorney Rusty Hardin tells TMZ Sports ..."We are deeply disappointed because we believe the evidence of Ms. Driscoll’s total lack of believability was overwhelming."

Hardin says, "We know that Kurt never committed an act of family violence. The evidence was un-contradicted that Ms. Driscoll committed the criminal offense of trespass when she entered his motor home at night, while he was sleeping, uninvited, without permission, and refused to leave when he repeatedly asked her to get out."

FYI -- Driscoll claims Busch grabbed her by the neck and smashed her head against the motor home several times.

Hardin acknowledges there was a physical confrontation ... but says Kurt NEVER slammed her head. "Mr. Busch’s conduct was totally reasonable and legal under the circumstances. He never intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly caused her any injury."

"We intend to appeal the Commissioner’s ruling."

Hardin continues, "Ms. Driscoll clearly committed perjury during her testimony before the Commissioner, and we deeply regret that Ms. Driscoll has been allowed to abuse the justice system in such a flagrant way."

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12/16/2014 4:00 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

Kurt Busch's ex-girlfriend is in court to get a restraining order against him -- but the NASCAR driver is fighting back with what he says is proof she's a certified badass who couldn't possibly be afraid of him.

Patricia Driscoll testified in a Dover, Delaware court Tuesday about Kurt's alleged attack on her after one of his races in September. As we've reported ... Driscoll claims he choked her inside his motorcoach.

But sources close to Busch tell TMZ Sports his legal team has submitted a YouTube video of Driscoll as evidence. The video entitled "Pocket Commando" -- was posted earlier this year, and shows her at a gun range, showing off marksman skills and talking about the company she owns ... Frontline Defense Systems.

Driscoll calls herself a "commando mommy" on the video ... which we're told was shot and edited to pitch her as a reality TV star.

We're told Busch's attorneys will argue that Driscoll is a "trained assassin" who would have no reason to fear Busch. In fact, during Tuesday's hearing Busch's attorneys called her a "mercenary" out to ruin his career. Busch adamantly denies the attack.

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11/7/2014 12:46 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

Kurt Busch is adamant he did not lay a single finger on his ex-girlfriend during an argument back in September ... claiming she's making the whole thing up in a shameless cash grab ... sources close to Busch tell TMZ Sports.

As we previously reported, the NASCAR driver is being investigated for an alleged domestic assault on his ex Patricia Driscoll at Dover International Speedway on the weekend of Sept. 26th.

Sources close to Busch tell us ... the couple had broken up about a week before the incident -- and Busch was surprised when she showed up to his motorhome.

We're told ... Busch acknowledges they got into an argument -- but claims it never got physical.

TMZ Sports spoke with Busch's attorney Rusty Hardin who tells us, "This allegation is a complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a relationship and Mr. Busch vehemently denies her allegations in every respect."

He adds, "The Dover Police Department has been informed that Mr. Busch will fully cooperate with their investigation and he expects to be vindicated when the entire truth of the situation comes to light."

And there's this -- we're told ... days after the incident, Busch's lawyer was contacted by a person claiming to represent Driscoll looking to negotiate a monetary settlement.

We're told that attorney resigned from representing Driscoll just days later.

We also spoke with police who tell us Driscoll didn't report the alleged assault until Nov. 5th -- six weeks after the incident.

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9/24/2014 10:23 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

NASCAR star Tony Stewart will NOT face criminal charges in the death of Kevin Ward Jr. ... and in a shocking revelation, we now know Ward was high on weed at the time of his death.

TMZ Sports broke the story...the Ontario County Grand Jury in New York decided not to charge Stewart, after reviewing evidence from several accident reconstruction experts.

On the night of his death, Ward Jr. had gotten out of his car and was aggressively marching toward Stewart's car -- when he was struck. Now we know drug tests on the body produced proof Ward was under the influence of marijuana.

There was talk that Stewart was angry with Ward Jr. and may have intentionally veered his car into him -- but apparently the grand jury feels it was nothing more than a freak accident.

We're told the enhanced video showed Stewart did not make any sudden or suspicious moves on the track before his car collided with Ward.